A
hackerspace (also referred to as a
hacklab,
makerspace or
hackspace) is a community-operated workspace where people with common interests, often in computers,
machining, technology, science,
digital art or
electronic art, can
meet,
socialize and
collaborate. Hackerspaces have also been compared to other community-operated spaces with similar aims and mechanisms such as
Fab Lab,
Men's Sheds, and with commercial "for profit" companies such as
TechShop.